OTTAWA -- Fresh off a triumphant return to the Ottawa Senators lineup on Thursday, defenseman Erik Karlsson will play in his first home game since Feb. 13, when Matt Cooke's skate cut his left Achilles tendon.

The injury, which required surgery, was estimated to require 4-6 months in recovery time, but the former Norris Trophy winner was able to make a stunning recovery, returning to the lineup in 31 games. Karlsson admitted Saturday morning the Stanley Cup Playoffs served as motivation to return.

"It's the most fun you can have," Karlsson said. "It's what everyone plays for, and it's what everyone wants to be a part of. I was part of missing it one year (when the Senators did not make the postseason in 2010-11) and I've been part of going to the first round (against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009-10 and New York Rangers in 2011-12) and I know how much fun that was. You build up during the season and hopefully get to the playoffs for a good run."

Here are the projected lines for the Senators and Philadelphia Flyers at Scotiabank Place on Saturday night:

OTTAWA -- Tomas Vokoun will start in goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday when they face the Ottawa Senators.

It will be his second straight start; he stopped 38 of 40 shots Saturday as the Penguins beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Marc-Andre Fleury did not make the trip to Ottawa with the team, as his wife is about to have a baby.

Eric Hartzell, signed April 14 after leading Quinnipiac University to the Frozen Four championship game, will serve as the backup.

The Penguins also will not have defenseman Kris Letang or rookie forward Beau Bennett in the lineup. Letang did not practice Sunday and did not travel with the team due to a case of food poisoning. Bennett is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Here are the projected lineups for the Penguins and Senators :

OTTAWA – Here are the projected lineups for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night:

MAPLE LEAFS

James van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – Phil Kessel

Joffrey Lupul – Nazem Kadri – Nikolai Kulemin

Clarke MacArthur – Mikhail Grabovski – Leo Komarov

Frazer McLaren –Jay McClement – Colton Orr

Jake Gardiner – Dion Phaneuf

John-Michael Liles – Ryan O’Byrne

Mark Fraser – Cody Franson

James Reimer

Ben Scrivens

Injured: Carl Gunnarsson

Scratches: Matt Frattin, Michael Kostka, Joe Colborne, Ryan Hamilton

SENATORS

Milan Michalek – Kyle Turris – Daniel Alfredsson

Cory Conacher – Mika Zibanejad – Jakob Silfverberg

Matt Kassian – Zack Smith – Chris Neil

Colin Greening –Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Erik Condra

Chris Phillips – Marc Methot

Jared Cowen – Eric Gryba

Patrick Wiercioch – Sergei Gonchar

Craig Anderson

Robin Lehner

Injured: Mike Hoffman, Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson

Scratches: Andre Benoit, Mike Lundin, Peter Regin, Jim O’Brien, Guillaume Latendresse

OTTAWA -- Here are the projected lineups for the Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators on Thursday night at Scotiabank Place:

OTTAWA -- Ottawa Senators defenseman Jared Cowen will make his season debut Tuesday when the team plays the Carolina Hurricanes at Scotiabank Place.

Cowen underwent surgery in November to repair a torn labrum in his left hip after being injured in an American Hockey League game, and the thinking at the time was he would be lost for the remainder of the season.

It's a huge boost for an Ottawa team that is without Erik Karlsson (Achilles) on its blue line.

"It's a big day," Cowen said. "I've had this day in mind for a while. I picked it a long time ago because it's not a back-to-back and it's at home. I wanted to start at home. I worked really hard to get here. Sometimes rehab doesn't go the way you want it to. A lot of it has been luck. When I'm on the ice doing drills or skating, I don't think about my hip at all, and my doctor said that's the key. All systems are go."

Cowen played in all 82 games for the Senators as a rookie last season, posting five goals and 17 points. The 22-year-old was a first-round pick (No. 9) in the 2009 NHL Draft.

Here are the projected lineups for the Hurricanes and Senators:

OTTAWA – Here are the projected lineups for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators for Saturday night's matchup at Scotiabank Place:

MAPLE LEAFS

James Van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – Phil Kessel

Joffrey Lupul – Nazem Kadri – Nikolai Kulemin

Jay McClement – Mikhail Grabovski – Matt Frattin

Colton Orr – Ryan Hamilton – Frazer McLaren

Carl Gunnarsson – Dion Phaneuf

John-Michael Liles – Michael Kostka

Mark Fraser – Cody Franson

James Reimer

Ben Scrivens

Injured: Clarke MacArthur (upper body), Leo Komarov (upper body)

Scratches: Jake Gardiner

SENATORS

Mike Hoffman – Kyle Turris – Daniel Alfredsson

Guillaume Latendresse – Mika Zibanejad – Jakob Silfverberg

Colin Greening – Jim O’Brien – Chris Neil

Matt Kassian – Zack Smith – Erik Condra

Marc Methot – Eric Gryba

Patrick Wiercioch – Sergei Gonchar

Chris Phillips – Andre Benoit

Ben Bishop

Robin Lehner

Injured: Jared Cowen (hip surgery), Milan Michalek (knee), Jason Spezza (back surgery), Erik Karlsson (Achilles surgery), Craig Anderson (ankle)

Scratches: Peter Regin, Mike Lundin

Note: Chris Neil was injured against the New York Rangers on Thursday when a skate blade cut his leg. He returned to finish the game but left practice early on Saturday. Coach Paul MacLean said Neil would be a game-time decision.

OTTAWA – Jared Cowen practiced with the Ottawa Senators for the first time this season Wednesday. Cowen was sidelined with a torn labrum in his left hip sustained during a game with the Binghamton Senators in October. The defenseman had surgery in November and expected to miss the rest of the season.

Goalie Craig Anderson also worked out with the team Wednesday. Anderson sprained his ankle on Feb. 21 against the New York Rangers, and though he still has no set date for his return, he did not rule out being ready to play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

Here are the projected lineups for the Rangers and Senators on Thursday night at Scotiabank Place:

OTTAWA -- Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson, who has missed the last 14 games with a high ankle sprain, took shots on net for the first time at practice on Monday morning. Coach Paul MacLean said that Anderson is "progressing" but did not offer any timeline for his return.

Here's how the lineups project for Monday night's game between the Senators and New Jersey Devils:

OTTAWA – Here are the projected lineups for the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon at Scotiabank Place:

OTTAWA -- Boston Bruins center David Krejci said that when he woke up Thursday morning, his right knee felt "much better," but his status for the game Thursday against the Ottawa Senators won't be decided until game-time.

Krejci was hurt in the third period of the Bruins' game Sunday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, when he was hit in the leg by a Johnny Boychuk shot. Krejci sat out Boston's game Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets.

If Krejci can't play, it's likely Ryan Spooner will remain in his spot. Spooner had two shots on goal in 15:29 of ice time Tuesday against the Jets.